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There is only one political contest of immediate import to residents of Hernando County: the county commissioner seat for District 2, the position currently held by Rose Rocco. Her challenger is Wayne Dukes, a man of political determination, a perpetual candidate whose attested goal is to bring county spending under control. As his website contends, “We cannot continue the Tax-and-Spend path we have been taken down.”
Mr. Dukes professes smaller, leaner government. To his chagrin, County Administrator Dave Hamilton, perhaps the only competent decision made by the county commissioners in the past four years, has thus far done more to that end than could have possibly been accomplished by any elected official. On October 22, Dave received the Outstanding Public Administrator Award from the Suncoast Chapter of the American Society of Public Administration. Rose cast the sole dissenting vote on the appointment of Mr. Hamilton in 2008.
In each of their careers, Rocco and Dukes have taken the same route to achieve their goal to influence the future of Hernando County. At different and opportune times, both have labeled themselves as either a Democrat or Republican, whichever party affiliation is open for the contested seat - whatever might get them to their destination!
Rose was elected county commissioner in 2006 as a Democrat. Out of necessity, Wayne is running as a Republican in the 2010 midterm election.
Rose’s voting record plainly shows she has aligned herself with the only power brokers in Hernando County. Her backing of developers has been demonstrated with each and every land use hearing since she took office four years ago. At the very least, she has been consistent in her voting record.
Hickory Hill, Sunrise, Lake Hideaway, Quarry Preserve – Rose has been homogenous in voting “the right thing to do” to embellish herself with the support of developers of urban sprawl. Wayne Dukes has stated he, too, would have voted in favor of Quarry Preserve. Ho-hum.
“Government gone wild’ has been a quaint, tiresome battle cry criticizing out of control spending during the boom years. In another context, and to a greater extent, over the past four years Hernando County commissioners have gone hog wild piggy-backing one super development of regional impact after another – four in total.
Data from the Withlacoochee Regional Planning Council website shows that Sunrise and Lake Hideaway subdivisions will provide 8,500 new dwelling units. The completion date of each is 2013. Assuming only two people per unit, the county’s population is expected to grow by 17,000 within the next three years.
Quarry Preserve will complete 6,000 dwellings by 2019 – 12,000 additional residents. On a smaller scale, Hickory Hill will provide 1,800 homes for 3,600 new residents by 2021. That’s a grandioso total population growth of 26,600 in little more than a decade, a whopping 15% increase, a dubious assumption.
Yes, yes, yes, Hernando County Board of County Commissioners kept a-galloping along a well-beaten path on a wild ride of unbridled, assumptive growth. Therefore, Amendment 4 should be of little concern to developers and their chummy government officials. There are plenty of homes already approved for development, enough to put every unemployed construction worker on the payroll for the next decade. Amendment 4 will not change that fact.
Any ole government employee can point out that residents have multiple opportunities for public comment on proposed developments. Unfortunately, prominent attendees at public hearings are retired. Working people seldom have the means to take time off work. If local government sincerely wishes there were more public attendance/awareness, hearings would be held evenings.
Also, the primary means of advertising public hearings is through the newspaper. (The internet is another.) According to marketing group U.S. Suburban Press, which specializes in targeting advertising in local markets, shows that out of 71,900 households in Hernando County, only 27,900 (38.8%) subscribe to either The Tampa Tribune/Hernando Today or The St. Petersburg Times/Hernando Times. Again, a large number of these readers are retirees.
A strong case for the need of public awareness is the ultimate cost as a result of Quarry Preserve. Although the developer will contribute $62 million to widen US 98, county transportation coordinator has said the, as a result, the count will then have to widen Cobb road – at an expected cost of $60 to $70 million to Hernando County taxpayers.
Without Amendment 4, residents will continue to be uninformed, unaware and disenfranchised from those they elect to public office. Voters are distrustful of politicians at all levels of government; replacing opaque governance with transparency will provide an informed and more respectful constituency. Of course, powerful interests prefer to keep those most affected by change in the dark. Worthwhile development projects ought to be a soft-sell to the population in general. Otherwise, decisions of major importance will remain in the self-interests of those determined to maintain control over the masses. Entertaining a select group of five politically motivated commissioners is a sham to open dialogue with the voting public.
As to Rocco vs. Dukes – it’s a washout. But change is good. Regardless, developers will maintain a controlling interest.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Government Gone Wild Brought On Amendment 4
Government gone wild, a widely popular, and rather quaint, political battle cry against the past decade of rampant spending by elected officials of Hernando County, namely those on the Board of County Commissioners, seems to have lost the oomph it once engendered, which some may view as a triumphant accomplishment of the person who brought the phrase to our local domain.
It’s important to keep in mind that, regardless the eventual outcome of the past couple of years that has brought spending under control through significant reorganizations in every conceivable county department, what has transpired in reducing government waste was already undoubtedly destined to materialize. All across this land of good and plenty, the wealth of all levels of government – state, county and city – have had no choice but to cut to the bone to achieve ‘balanced budgets’.
Of course, the exception to that rule of getting spending under control is the continued deficit spending of the federal government, a compulsory result of which is directly attributed to the good old years of money squandering by the previous administration. Unfortunately, the effects of the housing meltdown and the generous bailouts afforded to the too-large financial institutions have created the worst case scenario of trickle-down economic ruin for the middle class.
Therefore, the relevance of the ‘government gone wild’ reveille appears to be passé. Not so. There’s a bigger beast in the county that has supported, and successfully achieved, what will have a greater long-term effect on Hernando County than the current lack of tax revenues to meet the needs of its residents.
The beasts of burden are land developers. Hernando County Board of Commissioners has a proven track record of accommodating the colonization of large scale subdivisions way beyond anyone’s imagination.
Think back for a moment to the land use hearing for Sierra Property’s Hickory Hill super-duper development project. On that date there are three visions that are imbedded in my memory. In reverse order of occurrence, there was ‘cry baby’ Diane Rowden whose emotional outburst came as an immediate reaction to what was an out-of-the-blue camaraderie between then-Commissioner Chris Kingsley and a local resident who was on the right-side of the Hill debate. It was so surreal that no words can describe that moment of revelation, but voila! – The reality of the eventual vote of approval was gallantly revealed.
The most sadly momentous occasion was a comment made by a resident of a nearby plot of land whose owner, a farmer, dressed in his work clothes, expressed the grave concerns of the eventual effects on irrigating his land. Already having to drill a new well for the third time, he was well out of sorts at the prospects of facing further challenges of being successful in his own privately owned business. Droughts occur naturally; sucking the water out of the ground to quench the thirst of newly built homes in mega subdivisions results from careless planning. I imagine this farmer continues to lament, “What will I do when the well runs dry? I’m gonna sit right down and cry.”
Government continued to go wild with subsequent approval of even larger subdivisions: Sunrise and Like Hideaway development projects. Each of these hearings took place from April 26, 2007, through this past Tuesday, August 31, when the Board, minus the inconsequential nay vote from Commissioner Dave Russell, gave the go-ahead for the megalopolis called Quarry Preserve.
These comprehensive plan changes by the BOCC began during the height of the housing meltdown. As laid out by Hernando Times Dan DeWitt’s recent column ‘What Hernando County doesn’t need is Quarry Preserve’, there was an inventory of more than 4,000 in 2007 and the current figure of 2,534 homes currently on the market doesn’t take into account the number of residents who have given up. More foreclosures and walk-aways are sure to continue.
These figures don’t take into account the yet to be built homes in Southern Hills and Hernando Oaks. Mr. DeWitt stated that both of these subdivisions were approved for nearly 1,000 homes and that the number of vacant lots is “82 in Southern Hills” and “288 in Hernando Oaks”.
An editorial in the St. Petersburg Times of April 9, 2006, cautioned, “Hickory Hill is an impressive project. But it also will make an irrevocable impression on Hernando County’s landscape.” But, with the ever-present testimonies of attorney Jake Varn and the oh-so-agreeable assessments of Fishkind & Associates, the BOCC and land developers pay allegiance to their collective successes. Yes, yes, yes… government has gone wild in a context quite different from what the originator of the phrase intended.
With the approval of Quarry Preserve this past Tuesday, the BOCC kept a-galloping along a well-beaten path on its wild ride of unbridled growth.
The reason for the rash of approvals of new subdivisions is Amendment 4, which would give the residents of a community the necessary knowledge about what the future may hold in their surroundings, taking into account the impact such developments will have on the value of their homes, their property taxes, their neighborhoods, their traffic routes, their environments, and at what expense the impact of these new homes will have on them personally.
Amendment 4 would make sure people are aware of what goes on in their local communities. The vast majority of people do not read newspapers. Even for those who do, public notices printed in weekly editions are not very noticeable. The majority of people do not have the time to attend public hearings. Unless they’re retired. Otherwise, hopefully, they’re working, or at least looking for work, or working odd jobs. Ignorance of the populous benefits those in power.
The editorial staff of the St. Pete Times recently wrote of Amendment 4, “The amendment could create chaos in local planning, stifle growth, result in multiple expensive referendums and vastly increase local government legal fees.” But, more importantly, the paper admitted, “The public's deep distrust of government helped fuel Amendment 4, the so-called ‘Hometown Democracy’ initiative on the November ballot.”
Take into account a recent comment by Robert Widmar in a Hernando Today Feedback column. He wrote, “… currently residents elect officials who hire professionals to review and recommend change.” Residents/voters do not trust the decisions of their elected officials or the professionals who tend coddle to those who pay them their fees. I repeat – ignorance of the people is blissfully sanctioned by decision-makers in government positions.
Of approved subdivisions, the sum of dwelling units to be built in Sunrise and Lake Hideaway subdivisions will total 8,500 new dwelling units. The completion date of each is 2013. Assuming two people per unit, the county’s population will grow 17,000 or more three years from now.
Quarry Preserve will complete 6,000 dwellings by 2019 – 12,000 additional residents. Take a trip to The Villages in Sumter County and take a look at the sites of 10,255 households. It’ll give the viewer a first-hand glance at what the future holds for Hernando County.
On a smaller scale, Hickory Hill will provide homes for 3,600 new residents by 2021. That’s a grandioso total population growth of 26,600 in little more than a decade, a whopping 15% increase. This data can be viewed at http://www.wrpc.cc/developmentsofregionalimpact.asp
The bottom line here, folks, is that ‘government gone wild’ is still applicable. The result of years of approving new housing subdivisions out of proportion to the foreseeable needs in this and other counties in Florida is Amendment 4.
It’s important to keep in mind that, regardless the eventual outcome of the past couple of years that has brought spending under control through significant reorganizations in every conceivable county department, what has transpired in reducing government waste was already undoubtedly destined to materialize. All across this land of good and plenty, the wealth of all levels of government – state, county and city – have had no choice but to cut to the bone to achieve ‘balanced budgets’.
Of course, the exception to that rule of getting spending under control is the continued deficit spending of the federal government, a compulsory result of which is directly attributed to the good old years of money squandering by the previous administration. Unfortunately, the effects of the housing meltdown and the generous bailouts afforded to the too-large financial institutions have created the worst case scenario of trickle-down economic ruin for the middle class.
Therefore, the relevance of the ‘government gone wild’ reveille appears to be passé. Not so. There’s a bigger beast in the county that has supported, and successfully achieved, what will have a greater long-term effect on Hernando County than the current lack of tax revenues to meet the needs of its residents.
The beasts of burden are land developers. Hernando County Board of Commissioners has a proven track record of accommodating the colonization of large scale subdivisions way beyond anyone’s imagination.
Think back for a moment to the land use hearing for Sierra Property’s Hickory Hill super-duper development project. On that date there are three visions that are imbedded in my memory. In reverse order of occurrence, there was ‘cry baby’ Diane Rowden whose emotional outburst came as an immediate reaction to what was an out-of-the-blue camaraderie between then-Commissioner Chris Kingsley and a local resident who was on the right-side of the Hill debate. It was so surreal that no words can describe that moment of revelation, but voila! – The reality of the eventual vote of approval was gallantly revealed.
The most sadly momentous occasion was a comment made by a resident of a nearby plot of land whose owner, a farmer, dressed in his work clothes, expressed the grave concerns of the eventual effects on irrigating his land. Already having to drill a new well for the third time, he was well out of sorts at the prospects of facing further challenges of being successful in his own privately owned business. Droughts occur naturally; sucking the water out of the ground to quench the thirst of newly built homes in mega subdivisions results from careless planning. I imagine this farmer continues to lament, “What will I do when the well runs dry? I’m gonna sit right down and cry.”
Government continued to go wild with subsequent approval of even larger subdivisions: Sunrise and Like Hideaway development projects. Each of these hearings took place from April 26, 2007, through this past Tuesday, August 31, when the Board, minus the inconsequential nay vote from Commissioner Dave Russell, gave the go-ahead for the megalopolis called Quarry Preserve.
These comprehensive plan changes by the BOCC began during the height of the housing meltdown. As laid out by Hernando Times Dan DeWitt’s recent column ‘What Hernando County doesn’t need is Quarry Preserve’, there was an inventory of more than 4,000 in 2007 and the current figure of 2,534 homes currently on the market doesn’t take into account the number of residents who have given up. More foreclosures and walk-aways are sure to continue.
These figures don’t take into account the yet to be built homes in Southern Hills and Hernando Oaks. Mr. DeWitt stated that both of these subdivisions were approved for nearly 1,000 homes and that the number of vacant lots is “82 in Southern Hills” and “288 in Hernando Oaks”.
An editorial in the St. Petersburg Times of April 9, 2006, cautioned, “Hickory Hill is an impressive project. But it also will make an irrevocable impression on Hernando County’s landscape.” But, with the ever-present testimonies of attorney Jake Varn and the oh-so-agreeable assessments of Fishkind & Associates, the BOCC and land developers pay allegiance to their collective successes. Yes, yes, yes… government has gone wild in a context quite different from what the originator of the phrase intended.
With the approval of Quarry Preserve this past Tuesday, the BOCC kept a-galloping along a well-beaten path on its wild ride of unbridled growth.
The reason for the rash of approvals of new subdivisions is Amendment 4, which would give the residents of a community the necessary knowledge about what the future may hold in their surroundings, taking into account the impact such developments will have on the value of their homes, their property taxes, their neighborhoods, their traffic routes, their environments, and at what expense the impact of these new homes will have on them personally.
Amendment 4 would make sure people are aware of what goes on in their local communities. The vast majority of people do not read newspapers. Even for those who do, public notices printed in weekly editions are not very noticeable. The majority of people do not have the time to attend public hearings. Unless they’re retired. Otherwise, hopefully, they’re working, or at least looking for work, or working odd jobs. Ignorance of the populous benefits those in power.
The editorial staff of the St. Pete Times recently wrote of Amendment 4, “The amendment could create chaos in local planning, stifle growth, result in multiple expensive referendums and vastly increase local government legal fees.” But, more importantly, the paper admitted, “The public's deep distrust of government helped fuel Amendment 4, the so-called ‘Hometown Democracy’ initiative on the November ballot.”
Take into account a recent comment by Robert Widmar in a Hernando Today Feedback column. He wrote, “… currently residents elect officials who hire professionals to review and recommend change.” Residents/voters do not trust the decisions of their elected officials or the professionals who tend coddle to those who pay them their fees. I repeat – ignorance of the people is blissfully sanctioned by decision-makers in government positions.
Of approved subdivisions, the sum of dwelling units to be built in Sunrise and Lake Hideaway subdivisions will total 8,500 new dwelling units. The completion date of each is 2013. Assuming two people per unit, the county’s population will grow 17,000 or more three years from now.
Quarry Preserve will complete 6,000 dwellings by 2019 – 12,000 additional residents. Take a trip to The Villages in Sumter County and take a look at the sites of 10,255 households. It’ll give the viewer a first-hand glance at what the future holds for Hernando County.
On a smaller scale, Hickory Hill will provide homes for 3,600 new residents by 2021. That’s a grandioso total population growth of 26,600 in little more than a decade, a whopping 15% increase. This data can be viewed at http://www.wrpc.cc/developmentsofregionalimpact.asp
The bottom line here, folks, is that ‘government gone wild’ is still applicable. The result of years of approving new housing subdivisions out of proportion to the foreseeable needs in this and other counties in Florida is Amendment 4.
Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Spring Hill Fire and Rescue Cap Crap
The other day I got the Official Primary Ballot through the mail, as in absentee ballot, on a piece of stiff piece of white paper with black lettering in various font sizes with a number of boldly printed words and phrases. Of course, the 11" x 8-1/2" ballot was sent from Hernando County Supervisor of Elections, Annie D. Williams.
Perhaps by chance, but possibly with intent, on the very same day I also got a very colorful 11" x 6" glossed-over paid political advertisement from ‘Cap Your Fire Tax’ with a generalized greeting of Dear Spring Hill Voter, and a note from Scott Edmisten.
Both of these pieces of mail had one thing in common: the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue Referendum.
The referendum would give “Authority for Spring Hill Fire Rescue and Emergency Services District to Levy Ad Valorem Taxes” if a majority of voters fill in the oval-shaped circle next to YES, which would authorize the Spring Hill Independent Fire District to “levy property taxes up to 2.5 mills on jurisdiction land to provide fire and rescue services”.
After writing a few thankful words to voters for exercising the right to choose either an incumbent by track record or a challenger by campaigning promises, Mr. Edmisten, president of the Professional Firefighters of Spring Hill Local 2794, pointed out that the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue District has “a proven track record of lowering its tax rate year after year” and, since “The current tax cap is 2.75 mills. A YES vote is an affirmation that you agree with the policy of keeping your property tax rate lower”.
What a deal! How could the electorate possibly vote ‘NO’?
The thing is that Mr. Edmisten didn’t really fully cover the positive implications. Inquisitive me found some very interesting information from the Board of Fire Commissioner’s meeting minutes from May 12, 2010, at www.springhillfire.com/Public_Records.
“The way the question will appear on the ballot it will appear to those who are not familiar with it that this is a new tax, it is an existing tax and we are asking the residents to give us the ability to levy this existing tax at a cap lesser than what we currently enjoy. (2.75 mills). We will be reducing the millage by another quarter point bringing it to 2.50 mills. That is a point and a quarter less than what State Statutes allows us to tax at. State Statute 191 allows the District to tax up to 3.75 mills.”
The ‘Cap Your Fire Tax’ paid political advertisement failed to advise voters just how much greater a deal a YES vote would be to their millage tax rate. The advertisement also failed to explain that the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners currently has the sole authority to raise or lower taxes on the Spring Hill Fire District MSTU. That rate, as of right now, is 2.2686 mills.
The primary ballot referendum would give “Authority for the Spring Hill Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services District to Levy Ad Valorem Taxes”. In other words, the District would become a separate taxing authority of and by itself – no more involvement with the BOCC. The commissioners would be absolved from voter wrath in all future fire millage rate hike requests.
A simpleton’s calculator would display a figure of .2314 mills over and above the current 2.2686 mills if the electorate votes YES on the referendum to give the Spring Hill Independent Fire District the authority to levy property taxes up to 2.5 mills. That’s an 11% difference to the positive, but don’t call it an increase.
Underhanded electioneering tactics do not sit well with me. There is no mention of any form of ‘cap’ – new or old – in the verbiage of the referendum. But that’s the hard-driven theme of the campaign ad by ‘Cap Your Fire Tax’, a body of sorts but only accessible as a member of Facebook; out of sight from, and not accessible to, the general public. Therefore, it must be considered a hidden agenda.
Police. Fire. Emergency. Rescue. All are important necessities to maintain a civilized community. Each service provider requires trained professionals with the necessary equipment to provide the safety and welfare essential for its residents. It requires money, and that money comes in the form of taxes regardless of how those taxes are levied or from what authority.
The fire district is dealing with a 15% decline in property values, thus lower tax revenues. There will be a budget shortfall of nearly $1 million if the referendum fails and about half that even if the measure meets with voter approval. Regardless, layoffs and furlough days are unavoidable. The fire district needs YES votes. Voters shouldn’t need the ‘cap’ crap. Unfortunately, there are those who believe they do.
Perhaps by chance, but possibly with intent, on the very same day I also got a very colorful 11" x 6" glossed-over paid political advertisement from ‘Cap Your Fire Tax’ with a generalized greeting of Dear Spring Hill Voter, and a note from Scott Edmisten.
Both of these pieces of mail had one thing in common: the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue Referendum.
The referendum would give “Authority for Spring Hill Fire Rescue and Emergency Services District to Levy Ad Valorem Taxes” if a majority of voters fill in the oval-shaped circle next to YES, which would authorize the Spring Hill Independent Fire District to “levy property taxes up to 2.5 mills on jurisdiction land to provide fire and rescue services”.
After writing a few thankful words to voters for exercising the right to choose either an incumbent by track record or a challenger by campaigning promises, Mr. Edmisten, president of the Professional Firefighters of Spring Hill Local 2794, pointed out that the Spring Hill Fire and Rescue District has “a proven track record of lowering its tax rate year after year” and, since “The current tax cap is 2.75 mills. A YES vote is an affirmation that you agree with the policy of keeping your property tax rate lower”.
What a deal! How could the electorate possibly vote ‘NO’?
The thing is that Mr. Edmisten didn’t really fully cover the positive implications. Inquisitive me found some very interesting information from the Board of Fire Commissioner’s meeting minutes from May 12, 2010, at www.springhillfire.com/Public_Records.
“The way the question will appear on the ballot it will appear to those who are not familiar with it that this is a new tax, it is an existing tax and we are asking the residents to give us the ability to levy this existing tax at a cap lesser than what we currently enjoy. (2.75 mills). We will be reducing the millage by another quarter point bringing it to 2.50 mills. That is a point and a quarter less than what State Statutes allows us to tax at. State Statute 191 allows the District to tax up to 3.75 mills.”
The ‘Cap Your Fire Tax’ paid political advertisement failed to advise voters just how much greater a deal a YES vote would be to their millage tax rate. The advertisement also failed to explain that the Hernando County Board of County Commissioners currently has the sole authority to raise or lower taxes on the Spring Hill Fire District MSTU. That rate, as of right now, is 2.2686 mills.
The primary ballot referendum would give “Authority for the Spring Hill Fire Rescue and Emergency Medical Services District to Levy Ad Valorem Taxes”. In other words, the District would become a separate taxing authority of and by itself – no more involvement with the BOCC. The commissioners would be absolved from voter wrath in all future fire millage rate hike requests.
A simpleton’s calculator would display a figure of .2314 mills over and above the current 2.2686 mills if the electorate votes YES on the referendum to give the Spring Hill Independent Fire District the authority to levy property taxes up to 2.5 mills. That’s an 11% difference to the positive, but don’t call it an increase.
Underhanded electioneering tactics do not sit well with me. There is no mention of any form of ‘cap’ – new or old – in the verbiage of the referendum. But that’s the hard-driven theme of the campaign ad by ‘Cap Your Fire Tax’, a body of sorts but only accessible as a member of Facebook; out of sight from, and not accessible to, the general public. Therefore, it must be considered a hidden agenda.
Police. Fire. Emergency. Rescue. All are important necessities to maintain a civilized community. Each service provider requires trained professionals with the necessary equipment to provide the safety and welfare essential for its residents. It requires money, and that money comes in the form of taxes regardless of how those taxes are levied or from what authority.
The fire district is dealing with a 15% decline in property values, thus lower tax revenues. There will be a budget shortfall of nearly $1 million if the referendum fails and about half that even if the measure meets with voter approval. Regardless, layoffs and furlough days are unavoidable. The fire district needs YES votes. Voters shouldn’t need the ‘cap’ crap. Unfortunately, there are those who believe they do.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
This Amendment's 4 You
Hot topic: Referenda Required For Adoption And Amendment of Local Government Comprehensive Land Use Plans
Better known as Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4, this referendum will likely prove to be more of a contentious measure than Amendments 5/6 – Congressional/Legislative districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. These creatures were set in motion in an attempt to force elected government officials to put aside bureaucratic indulgence through a manipulative redistricting process that serves no purpose but to benefit the in-power political party; a topic for future consideration.
Local debate on Amendment 4 has, as yet, been relatively mild. On August 6, 2009, George Niemann, regional coordinator of Florida Hometown Democracy, wrote a Guest Column ‘The truth about Florida Hometown Democracy’. The most notable passage was:
“Rezoning, as well as the ability to develop land within existing land use criteria, will remain unaffected and will not require voter approval. The vast majority of land use would remain unaffected because changes to the growth plan are not needed to develop land. If no further changes were made to local comprehensive plans across Florida the current planned land use provisions could still accommodate the addition of 70 million people.
“Changes to the growth plan would still be processed, reviewed and decided on by the local governing bodies (an elected county commission, as an example), as they are today. FHD adds just one more step to the current process — voters must concur before the change can be officially adopted.”
Jumping forward to a June 30 article by Michael D. Bates, ‘Amendment would empower people on land use issues’ stated “Supporters of Amendment 4 say they are only asking for a ‘seat at the table’ when it comes to planning their community.”
Both the Guest Column by Mr. Niemann and the article written by Mr. Bates immediately drew backfire from Planning & Zoning Commissioner Bob Widmar whose Guest Column on August 8, 2009, ‘Amendment 4: A vision by special interests to stop planned growth’ and Letter to the Editor on July 7, ‘We do have a seat at the table’, advised readers there are processes already in place for concerned residents to “have input into the comprehensive plan and changes to the plan.”
In both instances, Mr. Widmar explained that citizen input begins with the every seven year Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) meeting, “which over several months review the entire Comprehensive Plan to bring it into line with legislation and other factors that have occurred during the period.” Mr. Widmar invites residents to attend the upcoming EAR meeting in September.
Subsequent opportunities for citizens to express their views are through attendance at monthly hearings held by the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. Thereafter, judgment lays with the Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee with “a report containing Objections, Recommendations, and Comments (the ORC report) on the proposed change. Until these three items have been reviewed and addressed to the satisfaction of the DCA, the proposed change is not accepted. The public does again has an opportunity to address the DCA”, after which “…the BOCC can finally put the stamp of approval on the plan change, again at a public meeting.”
Mr. Widmar expressed dismay that for the most part public participation in the process remains near non-existent.
Mr. Bates’ June 30 article included many disconcerting comments on the possible passage of Amendment 4, all voiced by governmental/political pitchmen.
County Commissioner David Russell: “I’m afraid that the public will be swayed one way or another by advertising campaigns on either side of the issue rather than based on pertinent data relating to the amendment.” It’ll be interesting to see to what extent either side resorts to ‘the nasties’.
The Hernando County Republican Executive Committee: “Hometown Democracy will prevent and negate responsible planning decisions by county engineers and county planners and turn the process over to a political campaign.” Out of necessity, politicking demands that voters be aware, especially during periods of time between Election Days.
HCREC Chairman Blaise Ingoglia: “The electorate is not going to have access to all the records that county engineers and planners will have. Plus, we’ve elected commissioners for a reason.” Do not deny residents the rights of transparency.
Hernando County Planning Director Ron Pianta: “It could also encourage aggressive public relations and media campaigns by special interests who either support or pose proposed changes to the comprehensive plan.”
Speaking of ‘special interests’, there are many to be found among the influences of government officials and the many facets of the construction and land development business communities. These power brokers relish their dominions of prestige. There is just cause for their worries. Amendment 4 would lessen their omnipotence.
According to data from the Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research, there are over 7,000 vacant housing units in Hernando County. According to RealtyTrac, in May of this year, 1 in every 157 housing units received a foreclosure filing; in the seven-county Tampa Bay metro area, Hernando County ranks #1 in foreclosure property statistics.
Still, a number of approved housing developments have yet to begin groundbreaking. Hickory Hill – 1,750 single-family dwelling units by 2021. Lake Hideaway – 2,400 single-family dwelling units and 1,300 multi-family units by 2013. Sunrise – 4,200 single-family dwelling units and 600 multi-family dwelling units by 2013. Each of these subdivisions was approved in 2007 and 2008, most surely in anticipation that the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment might have appeared on the 2008 General Election Ballot.
Although the total sum of over 10,000 approved ‘dwelling units’ have yet to be built and even though there are hundreds of vacant homes from foreclosure and hundreds more vacant lots in blighted housing developments (such as Southern Hills Plantation), another development group, Powell Road Partners LLC is seeking approval of building 252 apartment units and 12 five-acre estate homes.
On July 12, P&Z gave the project a stamp of approval for rezoning the 80-acre tract from agriculture to a planned development project. (Although not yet named, perhaps 'Hernando Hometown Estates' would be suggestive of community-mindfulness.) On August 10, the BOCC will give further consideration to the planned development.
What might be expected? Perhaps a 3-2 decision from the BOCC, the same marginal vote on the approval of Quarry Preserve which would add 2,000 single-family dwellings, 200 resort lodging units, 444 town home and 756 apartments? Quarry Preserve is doubtful to come to fruition considering the DCA deemed it ‘urban sprawl’, an evaluation not easily overcome.
The Powell Road Partners project would be small potatoes in comparison, so the go-ahead is extremely likely. The 3-yes vote would come from the commissioners not up for re-election in the upcoming November elections; a 4th ‘yes’ might easily be Russell-ed up since there is no opposing candidate, thus not a concern about voter opinion of Amendment 4.
For these many reasons – 10,000 homes yet to be built, including 7,000 by 2013 which in itself is an unrealistic completion date – Amendment 4 should be a rally cry for tea party folks. Why? Because American citizens are solidly disgruntled and distrustful of governmental conduct at all levels. Poor decisions, poor planning and poor representation of ‘we the people’ has proven that government has indeed gone wild, and continues to do so, in supporting the same superfluous demagogues that helped bring this country to near economic ruin with lost jobs, lost investments, lost home values, home foreclosures, etc. New housing developments will not resolve these issues; they will worsen existing homeowners’ property values.
As to public ‘disinterest’ in attending government hearings on comprehensive land use changes on developments of regional impact, the perception is misplaced. Few resident citizens are aware of what goes on outside their immediate area; word of mouth travels short distances. Time and again, when I mention Hickory Hill, Sunrise and/or Like Hideaway, people are unaware and aghast at how elected government officials continue to play patsy to the interests of developers.
Amendment 4 will allow all residents of any given community the wherewithal to become aware of what impact future growth decisions will have on water supplies, the environment, existing home values and infrastructure, while being mindful of the increased dangers of sink holes.
The Florida Hometown Democracy Land Use Amendment 4 will give Florida residents a much needed means to reign in uncontrolled growth in their communities. Take a front row seat and enjoy the view.
Better known as Florida Hometown Democracy Amendment 4, this referendum will likely prove to be more of a contentious measure than Amendments 5/6 – Congressional/Legislative districts or districting plans may not be drawn to favor or disfavor an incumbent or political party. These creatures were set in motion in an attempt to force elected government officials to put aside bureaucratic indulgence through a manipulative redistricting process that serves no purpose but to benefit the in-power political party; a topic for future consideration.
Local debate on Amendment 4 has, as yet, been relatively mild. On August 6, 2009, George Niemann, regional coordinator of Florida Hometown Democracy, wrote a Guest Column ‘The truth about Florida Hometown Democracy’. The most notable passage was:
“Rezoning, as well as the ability to develop land within existing land use criteria, will remain unaffected and will not require voter approval. The vast majority of land use would remain unaffected because changes to the growth plan are not needed to develop land. If no further changes were made to local comprehensive plans across Florida the current planned land use provisions could still accommodate the addition of 70 million people.
“Changes to the growth plan would still be processed, reviewed and decided on by the local governing bodies (an elected county commission, as an example), as they are today. FHD adds just one more step to the current process — voters must concur before the change can be officially adopted.”
Jumping forward to a June 30 article by Michael D. Bates, ‘Amendment would empower people on land use issues’ stated “Supporters of Amendment 4 say they are only asking for a ‘seat at the table’ when it comes to planning their community.”
Both the Guest Column by Mr. Niemann and the article written by Mr. Bates immediately drew backfire from Planning & Zoning Commissioner Bob Widmar whose Guest Column on August 8, 2009, ‘Amendment 4: A vision by special interests to stop planned growth’ and Letter to the Editor on July 7, ‘We do have a seat at the table’, advised readers there are processes already in place for concerned residents to “have input into the comprehensive plan and changes to the plan.”
In both instances, Mr. Widmar explained that citizen input begins with the every seven year Evaluation and Appraisal Report (EAR) meeting, “which over several months review the entire Comprehensive Plan to bring it into line with legislation and other factors that have occurred during the period.” Mr. Widmar invites residents to attend the upcoming EAR meeting in September.
Subsequent opportunities for citizens to express their views are through attendance at monthly hearings held by the Planning & Zoning Commission and the Board of County Commissioners. Thereafter, judgment lays with the Department of Community Affairs in Tallahassee with “a report containing Objections, Recommendations, and Comments (the ORC report) on the proposed change. Until these three items have been reviewed and addressed to the satisfaction of the DCA, the proposed change is not accepted. The public does again has an opportunity to address the DCA”, after which “…the BOCC can finally put the stamp of approval on the plan change, again at a public meeting.”
Mr. Widmar expressed dismay that for the most part public participation in the process remains near non-existent.
Mr. Bates’ June 30 article included many disconcerting comments on the possible passage of Amendment 4, all voiced by governmental/political pitchmen.
County Commissioner David Russell: “I’m afraid that the public will be swayed one way or another by advertising campaigns on either side of the issue rather than based on pertinent data relating to the amendment.” It’ll be interesting to see to what extent either side resorts to ‘the nasties’.
The Hernando County Republican Executive Committee: “Hometown Democracy will prevent and negate responsible planning decisions by county engineers and county planners and turn the process over to a political campaign.” Out of necessity, politicking demands that voters be aware, especially during periods of time between Election Days.
HCREC Chairman Blaise Ingoglia: “The electorate is not going to have access to all the records that county engineers and planners will have. Plus, we’ve elected commissioners for a reason.” Do not deny residents the rights of transparency.
Hernando County Planning Director Ron Pianta: “It could also encourage aggressive public relations and media campaigns by special interests who either support or pose proposed changes to the comprehensive plan.”
Speaking of ‘special interests’, there are many to be found among the influences of government officials and the many facets of the construction and land development business communities. These power brokers relish their dominions of prestige. There is just cause for their worries. Amendment 4 would lessen their omnipotence.
According to data from the Legislature Office of Economic and Demographic Research, there are over 7,000 vacant housing units in Hernando County. According to RealtyTrac, in May of this year, 1 in every 157 housing units received a foreclosure filing; in the seven-county Tampa Bay metro area, Hernando County ranks #1 in foreclosure property statistics.
Still, a number of approved housing developments have yet to begin groundbreaking. Hickory Hill – 1,750 single-family dwelling units by 2021. Lake Hideaway – 2,400 single-family dwelling units and 1,300 multi-family units by 2013. Sunrise – 4,200 single-family dwelling units and 600 multi-family dwelling units by 2013. Each of these subdivisions was approved in 2007 and 2008, most surely in anticipation that the Florida Hometown Democracy amendment might have appeared on the 2008 General Election Ballot.
Although the total sum of over 10,000 approved ‘dwelling units’ have yet to be built and even though there are hundreds of vacant homes from foreclosure and hundreds more vacant lots in blighted housing developments (such as Southern Hills Plantation), another development group, Powell Road Partners LLC is seeking approval of building 252 apartment units and 12 five-acre estate homes.
On July 12, P&Z gave the project a stamp of approval for rezoning the 80-acre tract from agriculture to a planned development project. (Although not yet named, perhaps 'Hernando Hometown Estates' would be suggestive of community-mindfulness.) On August 10, the BOCC will give further consideration to the planned development.
What might be expected? Perhaps a 3-2 decision from the BOCC, the same marginal vote on the approval of Quarry Preserve which would add 2,000 single-family dwellings, 200 resort lodging units, 444 town home and 756 apartments? Quarry Preserve is doubtful to come to fruition considering the DCA deemed it ‘urban sprawl’, an evaluation not easily overcome.
The Powell Road Partners project would be small potatoes in comparison, so the go-ahead is extremely likely. The 3-yes vote would come from the commissioners not up for re-election in the upcoming November elections; a 4th ‘yes’ might easily be Russell-ed up since there is no opposing candidate, thus not a concern about voter opinion of Amendment 4.
For these many reasons – 10,000 homes yet to be built, including 7,000 by 2013 which in itself is an unrealistic completion date – Amendment 4 should be a rally cry for tea party folks. Why? Because American citizens are solidly disgruntled and distrustful of governmental conduct at all levels. Poor decisions, poor planning and poor representation of ‘we the people’ has proven that government has indeed gone wild, and continues to do so, in supporting the same superfluous demagogues that helped bring this country to near economic ruin with lost jobs, lost investments, lost home values, home foreclosures, etc. New housing developments will not resolve these issues; they will worsen existing homeowners’ property values.
As to public ‘disinterest’ in attending government hearings on comprehensive land use changes on developments of regional impact, the perception is misplaced. Few resident citizens are aware of what goes on outside their immediate area; word of mouth travels short distances. Time and again, when I mention Hickory Hill, Sunrise and/or Like Hideaway, people are unaware and aghast at how elected government officials continue to play patsy to the interests of developers.
Amendment 4 will allow all residents of any given community the wherewithal to become aware of what impact future growth decisions will have on water supplies, the environment, existing home values and infrastructure, while being mindful of the increased dangers of sink holes.
The Florida Hometown Democracy Land Use Amendment 4 will give Florida residents a much needed means to reign in uncontrolled growth in their communities. Take a front row seat and enjoy the view.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Florida House District 44, where are you?
I shall attempt to draw you a map – in words, no less! Perhaps a dysfunctional map but a very real and distinct, if not confusing, map. As a matter of fact, it’s a segmented map of little or no importance but perhaps of some significance.
First of all, with an area bordering northeast Hernando County that cuts into Sumter County just north of Istachatta along the Little Withlacoochee River up to E Bushnell Road, cutting southeast past Bay Hill to Wahoo then down to Highway 48 heading east just beyond I-75 to Hwy 301 south but including Bushnell in the mapping area.
Heading south on 301 to CR 478 the path goes east at CR 478 to Hwy 471 but clips around Webster south to Hwy 50, eastward to the Hernando/Lake County line. From there the map goes south to the Withlacoochee River then east back to 471, still in Sumter County but bordering Pasco County to the west.
Heading west along the Hernando/Pasco County line up to I-75 the mapped area goes south to Hwy 52 then east to Hwy 41, north to County Line Road eastward to the Gulf, except for one little niche in Pasco that goes west of 41 on Bowman Road to Caufield Road.
So far the map includes Hernando County and parts of Sumter and Pasco Counties. If you’ve had trouble following me up to this point, don’t worry, I’m pretty much lost myself. But my mapping isn’t quite yet finished.
The mapping turns a northwest Hernando county. Heading up the Gulf coast north to the Hernando/Citrus county line, we go east to Hwy 19 then turn immediately south to Cortez Blvd/Hwy 50 then east to the Suncoast Parkway then just a little north to Ken Austin Parkway, which becomes Star Road. Heading west to Melanie Avenue, the map goes north to Centralia Road/CR 628, at which point you head back east, back to the Suncoast Parkway then north to Ponce de Leon Blvd/US 98 up to West Yuletide Court which borders Hernando and Citrus counties.
What I just carved out is a map of Florida House District 44.
[Except for Bushnell in Sumter County, the east side of the district is pretty much swamp. Please pardon me if those who live in Darby in Pasco County just north of Hwy 52 and west of I-75 feel insulted. Perhaps sometime in the future, rather than heading south on Spring Lake Highway to get to Zephyrhills to visit family, I might take Culbreath Road, south off Powell Road in Hernando County, which becomes Bellamy Brothers Road in Pasco County, and drive through for a look-see. I’m sure you live in a very peaceful setting. I might even sing a few off-tune words from ‘Let Your Love Flow’.]
First of all, with an area bordering northeast Hernando County that cuts into Sumter County just north of Istachatta along the Little Withlacoochee River up to E Bushnell Road, cutting southeast past Bay Hill to Wahoo then down to Highway 48 heading east just beyond I-75 to Hwy 301 south but including Bushnell in the mapping area.
Heading south on 301 to CR 478 the path goes east at CR 478 to Hwy 471 but clips around Webster south to Hwy 50, eastward to the Hernando/Lake County line. From there the map goes south to the Withlacoochee River then east back to 471, still in Sumter County but bordering Pasco County to the west.
Heading west along the Hernando/Pasco County line up to I-75 the mapped area goes south to Hwy 52 then east to Hwy 41, north to County Line Road eastward to the Gulf, except for one little niche in Pasco that goes west of 41 on Bowman Road to Caufield Road.
So far the map includes Hernando County and parts of Sumter and Pasco Counties. If you’ve had trouble following me up to this point, don’t worry, I’m pretty much lost myself. But my mapping isn’t quite yet finished.
The mapping turns a northwest Hernando county. Heading up the Gulf coast north to the Hernando/Citrus county line, we go east to Hwy 19 then turn immediately south to Cortez Blvd/Hwy 50 then east to the Suncoast Parkway then just a little north to Ken Austin Parkway, which becomes Star Road. Heading west to Melanie Avenue, the map goes north to Centralia Road/CR 628, at which point you head back east, back to the Suncoast Parkway then north to Ponce de Leon Blvd/US 98 up to West Yuletide Court which borders Hernando and Citrus counties.
What I just carved out is a map of Florida House District 44.
[Except for Bushnell in Sumter County, the east side of the district is pretty much swamp. Please pardon me if those who live in Darby in Pasco County just north of Hwy 52 and west of I-75 feel insulted. Perhaps sometime in the future, rather than heading south on Spring Lake Highway to get to Zephyrhills to visit family, I might take Culbreath Road, south off Powell Road in Hernando County, which becomes Bellamy Brothers Road in Pasco County, and drive through for a look-see. I’m sure you live in a very peaceful setting. I might even sing a few off-tune words from ‘Let Your Love Flow’.]
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Holiday ER Revisited
I wish to share with you some of the Feedback comments posted on the online edition of Hernando Today in response to the Sunday column ‘Holiday’s ER sign a farce” printed two weeks past. [Note: The editor’s use of ‘Holiday’ was an aptly placed, but apparently ignored, descriptive word.]
Posted by (Rached): “Dental pain is not an emergency. The patient already was on pain medication. Paying $1 to be seen by a medical professional is typical of patients who think the world owes them. Go to a walk in clinic next time. Oh wait! They make you pay, don’t they?”
I bet a whole donut to a donut hole that (Rached) is not among the 32 million people meant to receive medical coverage from the healthcare reform bill. Might not (Rached) be one of many Americans who are reliant on the gracious benefits of the biggest of all federal entitlement programs – Medicare – that keeps her healthy, wealthy and selfish?
Being that “Dental pain is not an emergency”, time wouldn’t have been ill-spent and the hospital wouldn’t have been short-changed $1,999 for a butt injection of antibiotics and a script for amoxicillin if Pat had been made fully aware of what, and why, he was up against in a waiting area adjacent to an Emergency Room. (Rached)’s comments were pointless.
Posted by (mickster): “There is no excuse for being rude to the registration clerk. Unless you are dying, if you are rude or entitled then you wait longer. This column is incredibly irresponsible journalism, presenting a very skewed opinion that is one-sided. Before you write your next piece about an ER, talk to the people that work there about what they are dealing with on a day to day basis.”
The clerk was there to take a name, address, telephone number and alternate contact. She did her job, as do customer service reps at phone/cable/credit card companies, all of which are easy targets of consumer discontent and anger. Of course, no one ever gets upset that the first point of contact can’t identify and resolve a situation with a flick of a switch or a few taps on a computer keyboard. The (mickster) dipped below the ballast line of the column, which was more about relating an experience rather than expressing an opinion.
Posted by (DoctorSmith): “If they told you up front the wait would be 3 to 4 hours, why are you complaining that it took 3 to 4 hours? Seems like they were up front an honest with you. There are other hospitals in the area with ERs. Did you call those to see if they had a shorter wait time?” No, but Pat did. The person at Oak Hill Hospital couldn’t provide the slightest hint of how long the wait might have been. (DoctorSmith) needs a more temperate thermometer.
These posts were puppy dog yips compared to emails received from RNs and a CEN. Although critical of the column, it was because they interpreted it as being inconsiderate of the professionals in the rooms beyond the waiting area. At no point in the column did I hint there was a lack professionalism of the caregivers. As stated, once in triage, the necessary care was resolved in fifteen minutes – ten minutes of which were spent making sure Pat had no adverse reactions to the injection.
One of the emails was from Nurse Kelly. Before reading the full text, a neighbor who works at BRH suggested she is a head nurse in the ER. Later, when I actually read parts of the text, I saw it signed, “Peace and God bless, Kelly J. Conner, RN, Sunrise, Florida”. I thought, what’s with a professional on the other side of the state making comments on what was strictly an experience in Hernando County?
Checking the other emails, none suggested they were sent by a local reader. I went back to Nurse Kelly’s email and found the paragraph, “Also, so you know, this is how emergency room nurses across the country are responding to your article: www.facebook.com [followed by a series of words, letters, numbers and special characters].
“WHAT?!?!,” I exclaimed aloud. Facebook? One of the many social pit-stops in the twilight zone of the Internet?
Out of curiosity, I clicked and found myself directed to the Facebook sign-in/sign-up page. I don’t go there. I refuse to give out my email address and set up a password to be a part of, or subjected to, the invasive nature of online sites that cannot guarantee my secured privacy. They appear to be as big, or more of, a threat to our privacies than how Big Brother government has been portrayed.
The emails should have been sent to the editor of Hernando Today, whose readers were the only ones meant to read about the experience. Perhaps this time someone will offer responsible responses to educate our local residents. I can’t relay the info I received from the emails. While one nurse mentioned there are 5 categories used to determine the order of attention, another mentioned 3 levels. Too, there were comments about why a patient’s self-described pain level is often discounted.
The emergency care waiting area ‘Notice’ should be sided with a Disclaimer that explains ER standards and procedures. A Disclosure statement should advise those in need of care that the basic fee to obtain ER care starts at $2,000 so that people can decide if perhaps a doctor visit might be appropriate – during regular weekday business hours. “Oh wait! They make you pay, don’t they?”
An employee at BRH, and x-ray tech who works long hours, sometimes six days a week and often still ‘on call’, prompted my writing about Pat’s ER misadventure. Unless she lied to me, she and nurses were gung-ho for me to explain that the problem lies with the administration, but not the highly educated medical professionals who save lives, cure illnesses, and go home crying because they see patients in excruciating pain or witness a child breathing his/her last breath. Moisture wells before my eyes, too.
Finally, also on Hernando Today’s website: Posted by (nikkinala): “It’s a shame that the cuts they’ve made are affecting service so severe. A little more concern/compassion from the desk clerk probably would have gone a long way.” Thank you for being attentive to the nature of my column.
As to those emails from a bunch of fricasseed Facebook fritters suffering from Disorder Deficit Attention? Securely placed in Yahoo!’s IDCU (I Don’t Care Unit) – Spam.
Posted by (Rached): “Dental pain is not an emergency. The patient already was on pain medication. Paying $1 to be seen by a medical professional is typical of patients who think the world owes them. Go to a walk in clinic next time. Oh wait! They make you pay, don’t they?”
I bet a whole donut to a donut hole that (Rached) is not among the 32 million people meant to receive medical coverage from the healthcare reform bill. Might not (Rached) be one of many Americans who are reliant on the gracious benefits of the biggest of all federal entitlement programs – Medicare – that keeps her healthy, wealthy and selfish?
Being that “Dental pain is not an emergency”, time wouldn’t have been ill-spent and the hospital wouldn’t have been short-changed $1,999 for a butt injection of antibiotics and a script for amoxicillin if Pat had been made fully aware of what, and why, he was up against in a waiting area adjacent to an Emergency Room. (Rached)’s comments were pointless.
Posted by (mickster): “There is no excuse for being rude to the registration clerk. Unless you are dying, if you are rude or entitled then you wait longer. This column is incredibly irresponsible journalism, presenting a very skewed opinion that is one-sided. Before you write your next piece about an ER, talk to the people that work there about what they are dealing with on a day to day basis.”
The clerk was there to take a name, address, telephone number and alternate contact. She did her job, as do customer service reps at phone/cable/credit card companies, all of which are easy targets of consumer discontent and anger. Of course, no one ever gets upset that the first point of contact can’t identify and resolve a situation with a flick of a switch or a few taps on a computer keyboard. The (mickster) dipped below the ballast line of the column, which was more about relating an experience rather than expressing an opinion.
Posted by (DoctorSmith): “If they told you up front the wait would be 3 to 4 hours, why are you complaining that it took 3 to 4 hours? Seems like they were up front an honest with you. There are other hospitals in the area with ERs. Did you call those to see if they had a shorter wait time?” No, but Pat did. The person at Oak Hill Hospital couldn’t provide the slightest hint of how long the wait might have been. (DoctorSmith) needs a more temperate thermometer.
These posts were puppy dog yips compared to emails received from RNs and a CEN. Although critical of the column, it was because they interpreted it as being inconsiderate of the professionals in the rooms beyond the waiting area. At no point in the column did I hint there was a lack professionalism of the caregivers. As stated, once in triage, the necessary care was resolved in fifteen minutes – ten minutes of which were spent making sure Pat had no adverse reactions to the injection.
One of the emails was from Nurse Kelly. Before reading the full text, a neighbor who works at BRH suggested she is a head nurse in the ER. Later, when I actually read parts of the text, I saw it signed, “Peace and God bless, Kelly J. Conner, RN, Sunrise, Florida”. I thought, what’s with a professional on the other side of the state making comments on what was strictly an experience in Hernando County?
Checking the other emails, none suggested they were sent by a local reader. I went back to Nurse Kelly’s email and found the paragraph, “Also, so you know, this is how emergency room nurses across the country are responding to your article: www.facebook.com [followed by a series of words, letters, numbers and special characters].
“WHAT?!?!,” I exclaimed aloud. Facebook? One of the many social pit-stops in the twilight zone of the Internet?
Out of curiosity, I clicked and found myself directed to the Facebook sign-in/sign-up page. I don’t go there. I refuse to give out my email address and set up a password to be a part of, or subjected to, the invasive nature of online sites that cannot guarantee my secured privacy. They appear to be as big, or more of, a threat to our privacies than how Big Brother government has been portrayed.
The emails should have been sent to the editor of Hernando Today, whose readers were the only ones meant to read about the experience. Perhaps this time someone will offer responsible responses to educate our local residents. I can’t relay the info I received from the emails. While one nurse mentioned there are 5 categories used to determine the order of attention, another mentioned 3 levels. Too, there were comments about why a patient’s self-described pain level is often discounted.
The emergency care waiting area ‘Notice’ should be sided with a Disclaimer that explains ER standards and procedures. A Disclosure statement should advise those in need of care that the basic fee to obtain ER care starts at $2,000 so that people can decide if perhaps a doctor visit might be appropriate – during regular weekday business hours. “Oh wait! They make you pay, don’t they?”
An employee at BRH, and x-ray tech who works long hours, sometimes six days a week and often still ‘on call’, prompted my writing about Pat’s ER misadventure. Unless she lied to me, she and nurses were gung-ho for me to explain that the problem lies with the administration, but not the highly educated medical professionals who save lives, cure illnesses, and go home crying because they see patients in excruciating pain or witness a child breathing his/her last breath. Moisture wells before my eyes, too.
Finally, also on Hernando Today’s website: Posted by (nikkinala): “It’s a shame that the cuts they’ve made are affecting service so severe. A little more concern/compassion from the desk clerk probably would have gone a long way.” Thank you for being attentive to the nature of my column.
As to those emails from a bunch of fricasseed Facebook fritters suffering from Disorder Deficit Attention? Securely placed in Yahoo!’s IDCU (I Don’t Care Unit) – Spam.
Holiday ER Not Memorial
NOTICE: Our patients are treated in order of severity of illness or injury and not in order of arrival.
The engraved plaque outside ER 105 at Brooksville Regional Hospital proved to be a farce. Arriving shortly after 4 pm this past Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, the registration clerk in the Emergency Room advised the patient, Pat, that the waiting period would be three to four hours. It seemed excessive considering there were, at the time, but four or five other people waiting for medical attention, none of whom appeared to be in as bad a shape as he.
Pat’s face was swollen, very visibly so, especially his upper lip that had ballooned over a thirty-six hour period when a chipped tooth earlier in the week broke Friday evening. I first saw his condition Saturday evening when he and Lexi, his daughter, stopped by. I was truly shocked. He was in a fog from the infection that had spread to his nasal passages and kept in a fog from taking prescribed pain meds for a herniated disc.
Pat passed out on my sofa so he and spent the night. Zonked out until mid afternoon Sunday, he woke with a series of painful groans with a realization the only option was to go to an Emergency Room.
The job function of the person behind the desk was clearly clerically limited. Her actions led me to believe that she more a front line of defense rather than the first step to receiving medical attention. On this particular day, the priority of receiving care was one of first come, first serve. Even then, the care he received was out of order.
Other ER patients appeared to be in much less discomfort. Each was quick to get up from their seats when called by the triage nurse – one after another, in and out with no obvious ailments. Even after the others had been tended to, patients arriving later were taken out of order, before Pat. Questioning the person at the desk, the only response was she had no control – it was out of her hands.
Up to that point, the loudest wailing in the room came when the electricity went out and her data entries on the computer were lost.
At another point, a mother rushed into the ER with her baby girl, maybe three years old, demanding the attention of a nurse NOW, which she kept yelling. The only response from the woman behind the desk was that a nurse had been advised. By then, she had moved from behind the desk to face a wall, shuffling papers, seemingly to avoid further contact with the screaming mother.
The only words spoken by the little girl: “I need a band-aid.” No panic, no tears. Within minutes, a nurse simply taped three-inch squares of gauze over the wound. Although I didn’t see how severe the gash was, there was no blood appearing on the temporary bandage. The little girl was content as mom pushed her around in a wheel chair.
After waiting three hours, I became a bit testy, verbally suggesting Pat would get better care if he had insurance, were an illegal immigrants or – Pat had to hold back a laugh at this one – he would have been better off seeing a veterinarian!
The woman behind the desk asked why I was being mean to her, as did another person in the waiting room. The problem with the situation was that, at no time did a nurse appear in the waiting room to evaluate ‘the severity of injury or illness’ of those seeking medical attention. The ‘desk person’ was the only hospital employee available. (There was no security guard until 8 pm.)
After finally talking to the triage nurse, and given the care of a physician, Pat was released within fifteen minutes, just long enough to receive an antibiotic booster shot and a ten minute wait to make sure there was no adverse reaction, during which time a script was written for an oral antibiotic to be taken until he could see a dentist during normal weekday business hours for a tooth extraction.
From the get-go, there was nothing else that could have been done. The needed attention was unnecessarily delayed. There were no emergency ambulances on that day; otherwise the wait would have exceeded the five hours.
An employee assured me that on most days the ER operates efficiently. But the hospital has initiated severe cutbacks in hours, thus coverage. Another hospital employee, who works in transportation services – he pushes gurneys to and from technicians who perform tests to diagnose patient ailments – is retiring soon, at which time the position is expected to be eliminated, leaving the technicians themselves doing the push and pull. Volunteers will offer limited assistance due to liability concerns.
This may lead to longer delays in responding to and evaluating the needed care of patients. My assumption is that this could, in turn, increase overnight admission$.
Unfortunately, the timing of Pat’s needed care was on the weekend, the cost of which was in excess of two thousand dollars. I paid the ‘good faith’ down payment – one dollar.
The engraved plaque outside ER 105 at Brooksville Regional Hospital proved to be a farce. Arriving shortly after 4 pm this past Sunday, Memorial Day weekend, the registration clerk in the Emergency Room advised the patient, Pat, that the waiting period would be three to four hours. It seemed excessive considering there were, at the time, but four or five other people waiting for medical attention, none of whom appeared to be in as bad a shape as he.
Pat’s face was swollen, very visibly so, especially his upper lip that had ballooned over a thirty-six hour period when a chipped tooth earlier in the week broke Friday evening. I first saw his condition Saturday evening when he and Lexi, his daughter, stopped by. I was truly shocked. He was in a fog from the infection that had spread to his nasal passages and kept in a fog from taking prescribed pain meds for a herniated disc.
Pat passed out on my sofa so he and spent the night. Zonked out until mid afternoon Sunday, he woke with a series of painful groans with a realization the only option was to go to an Emergency Room.
The job function of the person behind the desk was clearly clerically limited. Her actions led me to believe that she more a front line of defense rather than the first step to receiving medical attention. On this particular day, the priority of receiving care was one of first come, first serve. Even then, the care he received was out of order.
Other ER patients appeared to be in much less discomfort. Each was quick to get up from their seats when called by the triage nurse – one after another, in and out with no obvious ailments. Even after the others had been tended to, patients arriving later were taken out of order, before Pat. Questioning the person at the desk, the only response was she had no control – it was out of her hands.
Up to that point, the loudest wailing in the room came when the electricity went out and her data entries on the computer were lost.
At another point, a mother rushed into the ER with her baby girl, maybe three years old, demanding the attention of a nurse NOW, which she kept yelling. The only response from the woman behind the desk was that a nurse had been advised. By then, she had moved from behind the desk to face a wall, shuffling papers, seemingly to avoid further contact with the screaming mother.
The only words spoken by the little girl: “I need a band-aid.” No panic, no tears. Within minutes, a nurse simply taped three-inch squares of gauze over the wound. Although I didn’t see how severe the gash was, there was no blood appearing on the temporary bandage. The little girl was content as mom pushed her around in a wheel chair.
After waiting three hours, I became a bit testy, verbally suggesting Pat would get better care if he had insurance, were an illegal immigrants or – Pat had to hold back a laugh at this one – he would have been better off seeing a veterinarian!
The woman behind the desk asked why I was being mean to her, as did another person in the waiting room. The problem with the situation was that, at no time did a nurse appear in the waiting room to evaluate ‘the severity of injury or illness’ of those seeking medical attention. The ‘desk person’ was the only hospital employee available. (There was no security guard until 8 pm.)
After finally talking to the triage nurse, and given the care of a physician, Pat was released within fifteen minutes, just long enough to receive an antibiotic booster shot and a ten minute wait to make sure there was no adverse reaction, during which time a script was written for an oral antibiotic to be taken until he could see a dentist during normal weekday business hours for a tooth extraction.
From the get-go, there was nothing else that could have been done. The needed attention was unnecessarily delayed. There were no emergency ambulances on that day; otherwise the wait would have exceeded the five hours.
An employee assured me that on most days the ER operates efficiently. But the hospital has initiated severe cutbacks in hours, thus coverage. Another hospital employee, who works in transportation services – he pushes gurneys to and from technicians who perform tests to diagnose patient ailments – is retiring soon, at which time the position is expected to be eliminated, leaving the technicians themselves doing the push and pull. Volunteers will offer limited assistance due to liability concerns.
This may lead to longer delays in responding to and evaluating the needed care of patients. My assumption is that this could, in turn, increase overnight admission$.
Unfortunately, the timing of Pat’s needed care was on the weekend, the cost of which was in excess of two thousand dollars. I paid the ‘good faith’ down payment – one dollar.
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